What Really Prevents Cognitive Decline

About this episode

Michael Shermer discusses cognitive decline and brain health with Dr. Majid Fotuhi, exploring factors that influence mental sharpness in aging.

What actually causes cognitive decline, and how much of it can we do something about? In this episode, Michael talks with neurologist and neuroscientist Dr. Majid Fotuhi about dementia, Alzheimer's, memory loss, and the everyday habits that shape brain health over time. They discuss why Alzheimer's is only part of the story, why some people remain mentally sharp into old age, and what the evidence says about exercise, sleep, diet, stress, and cognitive activity. They also cover ADHD, attention, brain training, and the difference between ordinary forgetfulness and something more serious. At the center of it all is a simple but important idea: many people think cognitive decline is just an unavoidable part of aging, when in fact there is often more room to protect brain function than most of us realize. Majid Fotuhi, MD, PhD, is an adjunct professor of Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins's Mind/Brain Institute, an adjunct professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at George Washington University, and is the medical director of NeuroGrow Brain Fitness Center. His groundbreaking, proprietary research has been published in The Lancet , Nature , Neurology , Neuron , Proceedings of…

People in this episode

Host: Michael Shermer

Guest: Dr. Majid Fotuhi

Topics covered

• cognitive decline
• brain health
• Alzheimer's
• dementia
• memory loss
• exercise
• diet

Keywords

• cognitive decline
• Alzheimer's
• dementia
• brain health
• memory loss
• exercise
• diet
• stress
• ADHD
• brain training

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Johns Hopkins's Mind/Brain Institute, George Washington University, The Lancet, Nature, Neurology, Neuron, Proceedings of National Academy of Science, Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease, Journal of Rehabilitation, Journal of Alzheimer's Disease Reports

Books & works: The Invincible Brain: The Clinically Proven Plan to Age-Proof Your Brain and Stay Sharp for Life

More episodes of The Michael Shermer Show

• Why Do We Exist? Hakeem Oluseyi · April 28, 2026 · 1h 11m
• Shermer Says 9: The "Dead Scientists," Explained · April 24, 2026 · 16 min
• Not Monsters. Not Madmen. Just Men. · April 21, 2026 · 1h 25m
• Flourishing in the Age of Algorithms · April 18, 2026 · 1h 8m
• How Christianity Made America—and How America Remade Christianity · April 11, 2026 · 1h 31m
• What Turns Sand Into Cells? How Nonliving Matter Becomes Alive · April 8, 2026 · 1h 27m